Chili pesto seabass

Chili pesto

• 1/2 cup chili pesto (recipe below)
• 2 whole seabass, cleaned and gutted
• Sea salt

1. Make 3 - 4 slanted cuts on each side of the fish
2. Salt the fish all over, in the slits and on the inside and leave to rest for 10 - 15 minutes.
3. When ready, rinse the fish and pat dry with kitchen tissues. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees centigrade
4. Put an ovenproof grill pan on medium heat and when hot, lightly grease. Then place the fish and let cook on one side 5-6 minutes, till brown grill marks form.
5. Carefully flip over and then using a spoon/brush, stuff the pesto into the slits and in the centre of the fish. Then pop into the centre of the preheated oven for another 10 minutes.
6. To check the fish, carefully make a cut in the centre and you should see white flesh and juices. Serve with roasted sweet peppers and a salad

Chili Pesto

• 1 garlic clove
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 handfuls basil and parsley leaves
• 1 small red chili pepper, deseeded and deveined, chopped
• 50g Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 handful almond flakes, lightly toasted and finely crushed
• 1/2 cup olive oil

1. Put the garlic clove and salt into a mortar. Put the chili, basil and parsley leaves on top and gently pound. When the leaves are crushed, tip into a bowl.
2. Add the almonds and 1/3 of the cheese. Stir together and loosen with 1/4 cup oil. Then add more cheese and oil, till you have a saucy consistency. Store in a covered jar. Use within a couple of weeks.